CAMDEN, N.J. – A Millville, New Jersey, man was charged today with threatening to assault and murder a congressman and the congressman’s staff, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.

Joseph Brodie, 38, is charged by federal criminal complaint with one count of threatening to assault a U.S. official. Brodie has been in state custody since he was arrested on Sept. 20, 2017 and will appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joel Schneider in Camden federal court at a later date.

According to documents filed in this case:

On Sept. 15, 2017 and Sept. 19, 2017, Brodie allegedly made various threats via telephone and email to murder and assault Congressman Rep. Frank LoBiondo and the congressman’s staff. Brodie was initially arrested by the N.J. State Police and charged by the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office with weapons charges.

Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark; special agents of the U.S. Capitol Police, under the direction of Chief Matthew R. Verderosa; officers from the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Colonel Joseph R. Fuentes; and the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae, with the investigation leading to today’s charges.

The count to which Brodie has been charged is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of six years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The charge and allegations in the complaint are merely accusations, and Brodie is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.